Personal drive has replaced the ability to cooperate as the most requested characteristic in job adverts, according to a study of recruitment advertising in Sweden from 1955 to 2005.
Karin Helgesson, who studied the wording of job adverts for her doctoral thesis at the University of Gothenburg, found that being driven, able to cooperate and able to work independently have been the three most frequently cited requirements for the majority of the 50-year period, with personal drive taking the top spot since 2000.
The study also suggests there has been a change in attitude from employers towards employees over the past decade. “Ads from the last ten years or so tend to focus more on the employee,” says Helgesson. “Employers who used to offer workers the security of belonging to large and successful organisations have become partners who are offering their co-workers personal development and stimulating work tasks.”
Have you noticed any other trends in recruitment adverts over the past 10 years? Share your thoughts below.
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